Railway draft rigging



May 17, 1932.

J. F. OCONNOR RAILWAY DRAFT RIGGING Filed Aug. 24, 1928 Patented May 17, 1932 i UNITED gSTATES PATENT OFFICE' JOHN r. ocoNNon, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIeNoR To W. H. MINER, INC., oF cH'IcAGo,

ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE RAILWAY DRAFT RIGGING Application filed. August 24, 1928. Serial No. 301,835.

This invention relates to improvements in railway draft riggings.

One object of the invention is to provide, in railway draft riggings, including the usual shock absorbing mechanism and cooperating coupler member and connecting means between the coupler and shock absorbing mechanism, simple and efficient means for supporting the shock absorbing mechanism and connecting means from the usual draft sills.

A further object of the invention is to provide supporting means of the character indicated, whereby the use of the usual saddle plate is entirely avoided, thereby greatly facilitating removal and application of the parts of the draft rigging when required.

Another object of the invention isA to provide a railway draft rigging including a shock absorbing mechanism actuated by the coupler shank in buff and actuated in draft by the coupler through connecting means supported entirely by keys working in slots in the draft sills, wherein the shock absorbing mechanism is supported by the keys, thus avoiding the use of additional supporting means such as saddle plates which are now commonly employed.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a railway draft rigging including a coupler, side members having a lost motion connection with the coupler, a shock absorbing mechanism disposed between the side members and actuated directly by the coupler shank in buff, wherein the shock absorbing mechanism includes a friction casing supported by the side members, the entire draft rigging being supported by keys working in slots in the draft sills, one of the keys cooperating with means on the inner end of the casing to support the same and also act as means for effecting movement of the casing in draft.

Other and further objects of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter following.

In the dra-wings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal,vertical sectional view of a portion of the underframe structure of a car, illustrating my improvements in connection therewith, the coupler shank and friction shell of the shock absorbing mechanism being shown in elevation. And Figure 2 is a horizontal, longitudinal sectional view, corresponding substantlally to the line 2 2 of Figure 1, the coupler shank and friction I absorbing mechanism being shown in plan.

Insaid drawings, 10-10 indicate the usual i center or draft sills of the railway car underframe, the same `being preferably of channel shape. The usual end sill of the car is designated by l1 and thefloor or cover plate by 12. The buffer blockl isV secured to the draft sills and the plate 12 inany well known manner, the same being here shown as secured by rivets. The buffer block is provided with the usual opening 14 adapted to accommodate the coupler shank. The carry iron section of the buffer block forms an integral part thereof and is indicated by 15, a wear plate 16 of well known form being interposed between the same and the bottom side of the coupler shank. j i

In carrying out my invention, the center r draft sills are provided with front and rear spaced key receiving openings 17 and v18, the opening being reinforced by cheek plate members 19-19 which are provided with the key receiving openings proper. The front and rear key slots of the two sills-are in transverse alignment andv each sill is provided with two additional key receiving slots 20-20 disposed above and below the front key receiving slot thereof and spaced inwardi ly of the front end portion of thelast named slot. The top and bottom slots 20 of the two sills are in transversealignment so as to cooperate with supporting keys hereinafter more fully described.

In my improved draft rigging as shown, is included a standard coupler A, a pair of side members B-B, a front follower C, a coupler key D, adraft key E, two additional keys FF, and a friction shock absorbing mechanism G. Y l

The coupler A is of the usual form, having a shank portion 21 disposed within the opening 14 of the buer block 13 and extending rearwardly between the draft sills 10. Atl

shell of the shock hereinbefore referred to is the forward end, the coupler is provided with the usual head, which is only partly shown in the drawings.

The side members B-B are in the form of elongated bars of substantially rectangular cross section, the same beingv dispos-ed at opposite sides of the mechanism immediately adjacent the draft sills. At the forward end, each side member B is provided with a key receiving slot 22 adapted to 'cooperate with the usual coupler key. At'the inner end, each side member B is provided with a relatively shorter slot 23 for a purpose here inafter described.

When the parts are assembled, the front slots 22 of the two'side members and the rear slots 23 thereof are in transvers-e alignment. The side members B have a lost motion connection with the coupler shank, the same being provided by the coupler key D, which 'extends through an opening 24 in the coupler shank and has the opposite' end portions thereof working in the slots 22 of the side members.V The coupler key D is of such a length as tol extend through the slots 17 at the outer ends of the sills10 and is of'such a width as to permit both forward and rearward movement thereof, with respect' to the sills. The key D substantially fits the opening in the coupler shank 21, so that the key will be moved inwardly and outwardlyY 1n unison with the couplerp As shown most clearly in Figure 2, the key slots 22 ofthe members B are of greater length than the width of the key D, so that the lost motion provided. 1n the normal position of the parts, the-coupler key D is disposed substantially centrally' of the slots 17 of the draft sills and has the front yedge thereof in abutting relation with lthe Ifront end walls ofthe slots 22 of tli-e sid-e members B. The side members are supported at their inner endsby the draft key `E which extends through the openings .28 Vin theside 'members and has' the opposite ends thereof working within the slots 18` at the inner ends ofthe sills. As shown, the key E fits the openings 23 of the side members so that the key is compelled to move in unisonwith the side members. The slots 18 of the draft sills are of greater length than the width of the key`E so as to allow a certain amount of relativemovement between the key E andthe draft sills lengthwise of the latter. j

In the normal position of the parts, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, therearredge of the keyE is in abutment with the Vrear end walls of the slots 18. Thekeys D and E are of the headed type and arelhe'ld inposition by Cotter4 pins or other securing means eX- tending Ythrough the ends of the same. g

The shock absorbing mechanism Gf may vbe of any well known type, and in the Vpresent instance is of that'type comprising africand the membersB. As will beunderstood,

the'shell 25 also contains the usual spring resistance means which cooperates with the friction shoes to oppose movement thereof 'inwardly of the mechanism. At the inner end, the friction shell 25 is provided with a pairof horizontally disposed, spaced, rearwardly extending lugs 28-28, which embrace the key E. The lugs 28 are :of such a length as to` overlap the key E a substantial distance. At the forward end,the side walls vof the casing or shell 25 are provided with laterally extending horizontal lugs 29-29 which embrace the side members B. The top lugs 29 from supporting means for 'the forward end of the shell Y25 and/the topand bottom lugs cooperate with the side members to prevent vertical displacement' of the friction shell. A

The'inain follower C comprises a main body portion in the yform of a heavy rectangular plate which is interposed between thebutt end of the coupler shank and the wedge 27 of the friction shock absorbing mechanism. The plate-like member of the follower lC is provided with forwardly'extending top and `bottom-arms 30-30 on opposite sides thereof, the arms v30 being of greater width than the side members yB, as clearly shown in Figure 2. The arms BO are provided with transversely aligned 4slots 31-31 through which the keys F'extend. The opposite ends of the keys F, associated with the top and bottom arms of the follower C. work within the slots 20 of the draft sills, the slots 2O being of greater length than'the width of the keys soA as lto permit inward movement of thekeys during a bufling action of the mechanism. The keys F fit within the openings Blof the arms of the follower C so that the keys will always move in unison `with the follower.` The keys F are of the headed type, similar to the keys 'D and E, and are secured by the usual Cotter pins `or other fastening devices. Between the top and bottom armsBO, the follower C is provided with relatively thick vertical spaced wall sections 32-32, between which the inner end portion of the coupler shank is disposed. The arms 30-ateach side of fthe follower-C are spaced apart such a distance vertically as to freely accommodate the corresponding side member B therebetween, the vmain body portion of the follower C rearwardly of thearms .30 beingv cut away'at "ff each side, as indicated at 33, to accommodate t-he corresponding side member B.

The keys D and E serve as the sole supporting means for the coupler shank, shock absorbing mechanism and the connecting means between the coupler and shock absorbing mechanism, and the keys F serve as supporting means for the main follower C, thus entirely dispensing with the usual supporting saddle plate or equivalent means. By eliminating the use of the saddle plate, the space between the draft sills is left entirely open so thatV the shock absorbing mechanism and other parts of the draft rigging may be readily removed or applied between the draft sills when desired.

As will be evident, the coupler may be readily removed without disturbing any of the other parts of the mechanism by withdrawing the coupler key D, the front follower C which is supported by the keys F in turn supporting the side members B by the lower arms 30 of the follower. It is further pointed out that in order to remove the shock absorbing mechanism, together with the front follower C and the side members B, it is merely necessary to withdraw the keys D, E and F.

The operation of my improved railway draft rigging, upon a buffing action being applied to the coupler A, is as follows: The follower C will be carried inwardly directly by the coupler shank, compressing the shock absorbing means Gr between the follower and the key E which abuts the inner end ofthe casing or friction shell 25.

As will be evident during a bufing action, the key E will be held stationary by engagement with the inner end walls of the slots 19 of the draft sills 10. Inward movement of the coupler shank will be limited by engagement of the key D with the inner end walls of the slots 17 at the outer ends of the sills, thereby also limiting compression of the shock absorbing mechanism.

Vhen a pulling or draft action is applied to the coupler A, the side members B will be pulled forwardly in unison therewith through the connecting coupler key D. During the forward movement of the side members B, the draft key E will be pulled forwardly also, thereby carrying the casing G forwardly while the follower C is held stationary by engagement of the keys F thereof with the front end walls of the slots 2O of the draft sills. The friction shock absorbing mechanism Gr will thus be compressed between the key E and the follower C. Forward movement of the parts will be limited by engagement of the key E with the front end walls of the slots 18 of the draft sills. l/Vhen the actuating force in buff or draft is reduced, lall of the parts will be restored to their normal position in a well known manner, by the expansive action of the usual spring resistance means disposed within the friction casing or shell 25.

While I have herein shown and described what I consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications which come within the sills; side members disposed on opposite sides of said shock absorbing mechanism and having a lost motion connection with said coupler, including a coupler key extending through said side members and coupler shank and working in said front slots of the draft sills; a follower interposed between the butt end of the coupler shank and the shock absorbing mechanism, said follower having forwardly projecting arms embracing the side members; keys extending through said arms and into said additional slots of the draft sills; and a key extending through the rear end portions of the side members and supporting the shock absorbing mechanism at the inner end, said last named key being slidably supported within the rear slots of the sills.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 22nd day of August, 1928.

JOHN F. .OCONNOR 

